408 WORTH THE WAIT (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Peugeot's fashionable 408 aims to set a fashionable trend. Jonathan Crouch looks at the latest version.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 48

What might the worldwide mid-sized sedan of the future be like? In answer, Peugeot offers us this, the 408, part-saloon, part-coupe SUV, part-practical hatch. The brand claims its 'a new breed of car'. It'll certainly need a different breed of buyer. Here, we look at the updated version.

Backgroundword count: 197

To hatch or to SUV? That is the question - or at least it is if you're looking for compact yet spacious and practical family or business conveyance. There needs to be a third way, a blank space in the market not really filled by compact saloons or coupe-SUVs. But possibly resolved by this car, Peugeot's 408. The 408 was first launched in 2022 as an innovative, style-led Fastback with elements that could conceivably appeal to customers in all the categories just mentioned. Conventionality has characterised previous 4.0-series Peugeots, but this one proved to be anything but. The three (rather than four) digit name designated the company's wish for this car to be seen as distinct from its range of SUVs, but there was plenty of crossover in the chunky aesthetics. Yet at the same time, it aimed to offer a futuristic take what the family hatch of the future might be like. Under the skin, it was based on (and was designed alongside) a family hatch very much of the present, Peugeot's third generation 308. And like that design, was updated for the 2026 model year to create the car we're going to look at here.

Driving Experienceword count: 326

There aren't any significant mechanical changes as part of this update so on the road, as before, you might find this 408 quite a curious confection. The Fastback visual demeanour's sporty; the soft-orientated ride quality isn't. The grippy little 'i-Cockpit' steering wheel feels ready for wrist-flick B road brawling; the mandatory and rather hesitant 8-speed auto gearbox doesn't. Put aside preconceptions and genre pigeon-holing and you'll be happier. 4-series Peugeots have always been comfort-orientated and the auto gearbox swaps smoothly when unstressed. Plus you might well find the steering to be actually a quite nicely-weighted and engaging set-up, providing you can get on with the 'i-Cockpit' arrangement this car champions. Arguably the most conventional part of the 408 lies with what you'll find beneath the bonnet, all of it a duplication of what's on offer in the 308 hatch. The range kicks off with the Hybrid 145 e-DSC6 derivative. It's a non-plug-in, but its 48V system (with an electric motor built into the 6-speed auto transmission's casing) runs much of the time in urban traffic on battery power alone. Next up is the Plug-in Hybrid version. You might marvel at its technology, which mates an 81kW electric motor with a 1.6-litre PureTech petrol engine that primarily contributes to a total output of 225hp. It works with a 7-speed dual clutch auto gearbox and the 17.2kWh battery that powers the motor should deliver about 53 miles of EV range before the engine cuts in. A full-electric E-408 model is also available, with a 58.2kWh battery pack which energises the same synchronous electric motor as is used in the E-3008, with 210hp and 345Nm of torque. It now offers 283 miles of range (two miles further than before thanks to aerodynamic refinements). All the powertrains on offer only drive through the front wheels. Semi-autonomous drive tech is offered via a 'Drive Assist Pack' that allows stop-and-go driving in lane and semi-automatic lane changes with the indicator toggle stalk.

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